The ‘World War Z’ Sequel Is No Longer Happening

If you heard the stories of behind the scenes turmoil of the first World War Z, it isn’t that surprising that after years of development, it now appears thatWorld War Z 2(AKA the World War Z-quel) is not happening after all.

At least it’s not happening this summer, when the film was supposed to go into production. The Hollywood Reportersays that Paramount has decided, with mere months to go before shooting was scheduled to begin, to shut things down. Per THR:

Sources say that budgetary issues came to a head but it is unclear how or how long the issues have been brewing. Also unclear is whether the project will go back into development or if it is being shelved indefinitely.

The decision not to put World War Z 2 in front of the cameras is particularly surprising, given the fact that star Brad Pitt had recruited his Se7en and Fight Club director David Fincher to direct it. Marc Forster directed the first World War Z back in 2013, which was hounded by rumors of reshoots and arguments behind the scenes. If you believe what you read online, a significant portion of the movie was allegedly reworked in the editing room. Still, the film became a surprisingly big hit, grossing over $200 million in the United States and more than $540 million worldwide.

That, along with the combo of Pitt and Fincher, should have made this Z-quel a no brainer. But I guess zombies like brains, so maybe that was the problem. We’ll see if the film comes together at a later date.